Britain’s Leading Edge Manifesto 2023 Webinar Launch | Wednesday 22 February from 12:00 p.m
Aims & objectives of webinar
Since its launch in 2019, Britain’s Leading Edge has been a collaboration and advocacy network for predominantly rural upper tier local authority regions without the economic pull of a major city.
Britain’s Leading Edge wants to work with partners to improve the quality of life for the 6 million people living in peripheral regions and contribute to powering economic growth for the whole of the UK.
The purpose of the webinar is to launch the 2023 manifesto as a call to action for narrowing rural economic geographic disparities.
Background and context
With this in mind, the launch of Britain’s Leading Edge’s Manifesto 2023 sets out the group’s current ambitions and pledges:
- Continuing to advocate for moving focus and investment beyond the policy corridor, which still affects so much of central Government policy.
- Pressing for all parts of the UK to be truly levelled up, so that rural areas perform as well as metropolitan areas do with reference to the 12 Levelling Up Missions.
- Helping Government deliver on its promise that the UK will be net carbon zero by 2050. Britain’s Leading Edge regions contain the clean energy capacity which will power this commitment.
- Building UK energy and food resilience, particularly in the light of ongoing geo-political developments.
- Advocating for fairer Government investment in research, development and the vital connectivity infrastructure that peripheral areas need to unlock our potential for growth – particularly in food production, clean energy, sustainable transport and digital.
- Championing Government recognition for the extra costs involved in providing reliable, high-quality public services in peripheral areas, and pressing for fair funding to drive innovation in service delivery.
Britain’s Leading Edge Manifesto 2023 Launch – 22 February 2023
Panel line up:
The webinar began with a short presentation on the 2023 Britain’s Leading Edge Manifesto from Matt Barton, head of strategy and business planning, Cornwall Council.
There followed a debate on the evidence case for Britain’s Leading Edge Manifesto 2023 with senior council leaders and experts, including: –
- Cllr Kevin Bentley, leader Essex County Council and chair of the Local Government Association’s People and Places Board
- Kerry Booth, chief executive designate, Rural Services Network
- Cllr Linda Taylor, leader, Cornwall Council
Membership of BLE includes:
• Cornwall Council• Cumbria County Council• Dorset Council• Durham County Council• East Riding of Yorkshire Council • Herefordshire Council• Isle of Wight Council• Council of the Isles of Scilly• North Yorkshire County Council• Rutland County Council• Shropshire Council